Level I Program Form
I Summary of Proposed Changes
Department/program
Applied Computing & Electronics – Information Technology
Summary
Certificate in Health Information Technology
II Endorsements and Approvals
Please obtain the Program Chair/Director’s approval, the Dean and the Associate Provost.
Requestor: Thomas Gallagher
Phone: 7814
___________________________________
Dean’s Signature
Date
_____________________________________
Signature
Date
Requestor: Anne Delaney Phone: 7808
_____________________________________
Signature
Date
Program Chair/Director:
___________________________________
Initial Review in Provost’s Office
date
_____________________________________
Signature
Date
Thomas Gallagher, Chair
Other affected programs
____________________________________
Faculty Senate Review
date
_____________________________________
Health Professions
Date
Mary Nielson, Chair
_____________________________________
Signature
Date
Are other departments/programs affected by this
modification because of
(a) required courses incl. prerequisites or
corequisites,
(b) perceived overlap in content areas
(c) cross-listing of coursework
___________________________________
Provost
date
Please obtain signature(s) from the
Chair/Director of any such department/ program
(above) before submission
III Type of Level I Proposal (please check the appropriate space)
(a) Re-titling existing majors, minors, or options
(b) Eliminating existing majors, minors, or options via a program termination checklist
(c) Adding new minors or certificates where there is a major
X
(d) Adding new minors or certificates where there is an option in a major
(e) Departmental mergers and name changes
(f) Program revisions –for minor modifications use the program modification form
(g) Distance delivery of previously authorized degree program.
(h) Adding option within an existing major or degree *
(i) Eliminating organizational units such as departments, divisions and colleges or
schools *
(j) Consolidating existing program and/or degree *
*Requires level II BOR documentation submitted to the Provost’s Office (refer to
http://www.umt.edu/provost/curriculum.htm)
IV Catalog Language
If you are proposing a change to an existing
Please provide the proposed copy as you wish it
program or major, please cut and paste the
to appear in the catalog. 
requirements as they appear in the current catalog
below. www.umt.edu/catalog 
Certificate in Health Information Technology
Health IT is the application of information technology
in the clinical setting to enhance the quality,
accessibility, and cost effectiveness of healthcare.
The certificate in Health IT provides a crossdisciplinary educational experience intended to
complement individuals with a previous background
from either a health professions or computing-related
discipline. The certificate contains two distinct tracks:
one for professionals with a computing-related
background and one for professionals with a health
professions-related background.
Requirements
The certificate requires completion of one of the
following tracks:
I. Computing Track
1. Successful completion of a degree in a
computing-related field (i.e. Information
Technology).
2. Successful completion of the following
courses: AHMS 144 Medical Terminology,
AHMS 156 Medical Billing Fundamentals, HIT
101 Introduction to Health IT, HIT 265
Electronic Health Records in Medical
Practice, NRGS 101 Introduction to Nursing
(Total - 13 credits)
or
II. Health Professions Track
1. Successful completion of a degree in a
clinical health professions-related field (i.e.
Nursing) and completion of CSCI 172
Introduction to Computer Modeling or
equivalent.
2. Successful completion of the following
courses with a minimum grade of a C-: CSCI
240 Databases & SQL, HIT 101 Introduction
to Health IT, HIT 265 Electronic Health
Records in Medical Practice, ITS 150 Cisco
Networking I, and ITS 210 Network
Operating Systems: Desktop. (Total - 15
credits)
Please explain/justify the new proposal or change. 
Health Information Technology (IT) seeks to improve the quality, access, and cost effectiveness of
healthcare. The 2009 HITECH Act requires all medical facilities to transition to the electronic medical
record (EMR) by the year 2015. The consequence of this legislation brings enormous challenges to
hospitals and medical facilities, but also provides a new segment of career opportunities for
individuals with cross-curricular skills in clinical healthcare and information technology. Limited
education and training are available for students in this curricular area.
The Certificate in Health IT is an interdisciplinary educational program proposed by Associate
Professors Anne Delaney (Department of Health Professions) and Thomas Gallagher (Department of
Applied Computing & Electronics). Development of curriculum for the program has been a
collaborative process involving Professors Delaney, Professor Gallagher, Nursing Clinical Informatics
Analyst Kari McLeaan (Community Medical Center), and an advisory committee of local
stakeholders. The interdisciplinary approach involves coursework from Allied Health Medical
Support, Computer Science/Programming, Health Information Technology, Information Technology
Systems, and Nursing. Two distinct tracks of study are available to fulfill the unique characteristics for
supporting IT in the clinical health environment. Although the program has common courses in Health
IT and Electronic Health Records, the novelty in its dual-track approach provides individuals in the
health professions needed computing and IT skills, while the traditional IT professionals obtain
additional education in clinical health practices.
The program is built to serve the needs of new graduates and practicing professionals. In addition to
the traditional classroom, program courses will be available via distance learning thanks to
collaboration with SELL and UMOnline. Accessibility is a key component in delivering education to
the incumbent workforce currently staffing clinical health facilities. High wage, high demand
employment opportunities are available for graduates evidenced by anecdotal response from advisory
committee members and Department of Labor (DOL) employment statistics.
What other programs are affected by your
proposal? Obtain signatures as requested below.
V Department Summary Required if several proposals are submitted. In a separate document
list program title and proposed change for all proposals.
VI Copies and Electronic Submission After all signatures have been obtained submit the
original, a paper copy and electronic file to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221.
Revised
11/09